Clamp



A. c; F ELTON. CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED IULY I3, 1920.

1,375,686, Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Mfr/3555 Al/Gl/STCHELTOA/ INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

AUGUST C. FELTON, OF LA SALLE, ILLINOIS.

CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.,

Application filed July 13, 1920. Serial No. 396,029.

2' '0 all 20 item it may concern:

Be it known that l, Acousr G. FnL'roN, a citizen of the United States residing at La Salle, in the county of La balls and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

, This invention relates to clamps and aims to provide an improved form of clamp formed of adjustably associated 'members capable of being adjusted to hold the mate- ,rial at any position desired.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a clamp provided with interchangeable connecting members adapted to couple separate and distinct clamping elements.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the details of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully pointed out, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved clamp.

Fin". 2 is' a fra' mentar view disclosin one form of connection or coupling.

Fig. 3 is a top plan viewof one of the sections of the coupling, f

Fig. i is an end view of one of the screw clamp carrying jaws.

Fig. 5 is a View illustrating the application of another form of coupling and Fig. 6 is a top plan view thereof.

In describing the form of clamp disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 it will be seen that the invention contemplates the provision of a pair of clamping elements 1 and 1, both of which are similar in construction so that adcscription of one will suffice. Each element comprises a supporting bar or tubular standard upon which clamping jaws 2 and 3 are slidably mounted. Each jaw comprises an elongated block having a flat bearing surface on one side and reduced. adjacent one edge to provide a sort of tongue-like end a as shown. Each jaw is moreover, bifurcated adjacent its opposite end to provide spring clamping arms 5 and 6 respectively the arms are, in turn, provided transversely of their inner faces with oppositely disposed semi-circular recesses or grooves forming a seat or socket for the supporting standard 1, or 1 as the case may be. A tightener, in the form of a screw or bolt fastener connects the clamp arm above the socket. The turning of this tightener 7 through the clamping arms tends to draw them closer together so as to bind the jaws firmly in place upon the supporting standard, thus locking it against displace ment. Turning of the tightener in a counter direction loosens the arm so as torelease their grip upon the supporting standard surlicient to permit the jaws to be adjusted to any point on the standard desired. The tongue 4 of jaw 3 is provided with a threaded aperture for the reception of the threaded shank of a screw clamp 8 of the usual sort which clamp is designed to be threaded forward through the tongue for clamping the work or material up against the hat face of jaw 2. In order that the clamping elements 1 and 1 may be coupled together and used a single clamp, a connection in the form of sectional coupling 9 is provided which comprises a pair of members bifurcated to provide oppositely disposed spring jaws 10 and 10 respectively. Dne jaw of each member is provided adjacent its outer end with a circular series of raised projections or teeth 11 and a socket for the end of a supporting standard is formed by recessing or grooving the jaws 10 and 10' upon their respective inner faces and at a point slightly remote from the terminal of the slot as indicated at 12. The sections of the coupling are designed to be connected together so that the teeth 11 of one section engage the teeth 11 of the other section; a bolt or other fastening means 13 passing up through the center of the toothed portions of the respective jaws and engaging a nut 14: for holding the sections of the coupling in united relation. WVith the end of the standards 1 and 1 engaged in appropriate sections of the coupling as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the clamp is complete and ready for use. The respective pairs of jaws 2 and 3 can be adjusted to any point desired along the standards while the bolt 13 provides a pivot about which the sections of the coupling may be rotated to bring the standards either near to or adjusted from one another. The adjustment would, of course, take place after the nut 14 has been sufiioiently loosened to permit the toothed portions of the section to be disengaged; the tightening of the nut causing the teeth to rengage and positively lock the standard against displacement from their adjusted positions.

The adjustment of the clamping element of the invention as above described is limited to movement of the standards in a horizontal plane. To provide therefor, "for angular adjustment in both horizontal and vertical planes, an auxiliary coupling in the form of a one-piece, angular or L-shaped member is provided as disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. Each arm o1 this auxiliary coupling 15 is provided adjacent its outer edge with a circular series of raised projections or teeth 16 designed for engagement with the teeth 11 carried by the respective coupler sections 17 and 18 previously described. It is to be noted that the toothed projections of the two angularly disposed arms of the coupling 15 are arranged rela tively at right angles so that when the sections 17 and 18 are joined thereto, the standards 1 and 1 will be capable of adjustment in a horizontal and vertical plane respectively. The addition of the angular coupling 15 thus enlarges the range of adjustment of the device. In using the angular coupling, the sections 17 and 18 would be disconnected and fastened to the coupling 15 in the manner indicated by the dotted line structure of Fig. 5. When the parts are thus assembled, it is clearly seen that either i of the standards may be adjusted so as to swing in a circle past the other standard, enabling the clamp to be brought to almost any angle for holding the work in proper position for convenient working thereon.

This clamp is particularly useful in connection with carpenter work and may also be put to other and variant uses. The present disclosures may be considered as having reference to the preferred embodiment of the invention but it is to be understood that such changes and alterations in the construction and adaptation of the invention may be resorted to provided they are such as fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A clamp of the character specified comprising a pair of elongated bars forming clamp-supports and having a swivel connection at one end to permit of relatively angular adjustment in parallel planes, and clamp devices slidably mounted on the said supports and having clamp units individually adjustable longitudinally of the said bars.

2-. A clamp of the character specified comprising a pair of elongated bars forming clamp-supports, and provided each, at one end, with a section of a separable coupling, the said sections being relatively engageable to permit of adjustment of the clamp-supports in parallel planes, and an L-shaped coupling member interposing the said separable sections and having the latter adjustably connected thereto laterally of its angular portions for movement transversely to each other whereby the said clamp-supports may be relatively adjustable in planes relatively parallel or transversely disposed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST C. FELTON. 

